TWO - Mystic Falls
Harlow's stomach was turning inside of her in nervousness as she saw the sign welcoming her to mystic falls. It was wired in her the deep hatred for the town, there was nothing to do and everyone acted like they were in some simulation where they did nothing wrong and it were a scandal if something bad ever were to happen. oh, and the dances. those bloody things drove Harlow insane there was one for every week, she could remember burning one of her ball dresses in protest to not going admits her mothers horrification.
When Harlow arrived at the parking bay of the hospital she debated if she should even entire. she hated hospitals, I mean who didn't? there are never good memories anyone can really associate with hospitals its always physical or mental pain. from harlow to rolling her ankle to getting told that both her parents are gone. to put it simply noting good happens at hospitals.
After much debate she decided on going in, her sister really did sound worried otherwise she wouldn't have called her but Harlow wasn't going to face the wrath of good girl Elena alone so she called her brother.
A few seconds of the dialling background sound before the phone went silent. harlow frowned as she pulled her phone away from her ear to see if she had accidentally hung up before she spoke up into the device "I'm back from the dead, ready to see John dead" she then put her brother on speaker while she drummed her fingers on the steering wheel.
Jeremy scoffed, letting out a light laugh at the sound of his sister's voice in slight disbelief "Harlow?" he questioned, his voice slightly static going though the phone.
"where are you?" Harlow asked, her leg started to bounce not out of nervousness for her relative who may be seriously hurt but for fact that she is going to have to face her old friends and pretend like nothing had happened "I'm at the hospital." she explained
Jeramy paused before he spoke up "Harlow? are you okay?" he panicked over the phone
Harlow let out a small laugh at his words, he brother was quite slow at times "in mystic falls hospital." she corrected "John in there isn't he?"
Jeramy took a deep breath deciding if she should tell his sister about the other occupant in the building "and Caroline." he finished
Harlow's eyes winded as she immediately hung up. she didn't really care for her uncle but she always liked Caroline much to Elenas distaste for the girl.
She felt as though Caroline was misunderstood sure she could be a total bitch and insulting. Harlow knew those types of people and she always could tell that using insults and acting stuck up was a way to hide insecurity.
✧
Harlow walked into the cold hospital, trying to get rid of the flashing memories that bombarded her brain, everything looked familiar which made her exceedingly uncomfortable. she made a beeline for the front desk asking where Caroline's rooms is, the nurse didn't look up from her laptop simply pointing to her left, mumbling the words twenty three.
Harlow nodded thanking the woman before she pushed herself off the counter of the front desk in the direction the nurse pointed out to her as she continued to walk down the hall trying to avoid eye contact with the rooms and people, to prevent arising memories and being recognised.
In a small town of mystic falls, everyone knows everyone and their business. the Gilberts were the talk of the town when there parents died and then Harlow moved which she knew would have spread like wild fire.
as she got closer to the room, where she was told Caroline was. she had reached her first obstacle in-front of her path was no other then the one person she was dreading to reunite with the most and next to Elena was Bonnie, Elenas best friend. Harlow wasn't as close with bonnie, however she did liked the girl but it was apparent that bonnie sacrificed a lot to prove her friendship or more loyalty to people which didn't sit right with Harlow.
Bonnie would give up the boy she liked if one of her friends also liked him or she would give up her second spot in the lunch line to one of her friends because there were only two jelly cups left. Harlow could understand sacrifice, but selflessness was something she could not.
as Harlow got closer she saw the back of both bonnie and Elena talking very attentively to someone she had never seen before. the man facing her to Harlow was fairly attractive from what she could see which was black hair but he dressed like someone attractive or just had a massive ego, she already knew he wasn't her type. seeing the three so immersed in their conversation Harlow made the decision to turn on her heel head back from the car. she could just tell Klaus that she got sick and tell Elena the same thing, problem solved no more reunion.
she was almost successful as she ran around the corner of the hallway straight into her other sibling, who placed both his hands on either of her shoulders to prevent the girl from running. Harlow let out a nervous laugh as she looks up to her brother "you know what I'm just gonna-"
Harlow took a deep breath, now that she thinks about it she was not mentally prepared to talk to her sister, she didn't think she ever will be
"no, you're not." Jeramy cut her off knowing what she was going to say. he wanted his family at emends and his two exceedingly stubborn sisters were not making that easy. "you have to talk to Elena, Harls please." he begged. he knew he had won when Harlow let out a lough sigh.
"you owe me." she hissed angrily, shaking herself out of her brothers grip before walking back to the direction towards her sister.
With her sister in sight, Harlow took a deep breath "Elena!" she called out. Elena turned around with an unreadable expression on her face as she heard her sisters voice. "fancy seeing you here."" Harlow smiled with sarcasm dripping through her voice, as she walked up to her sister and the other two next to her.
"harlow?" Elena let out a small smile running up towards the girl, recovering from the initial shock that she actually came. Making Harlow let out a sigh of relief, no bad blood between the two (in public at least).
Harlow and Elena were sisters after all, so they had to talk to each-other in public even when they were having wars and not talking to each other at home for days at a time. like all siblings do, fighting about petty things like Elena stealing Harlow's clothes or Harlow getting mad a Elena for a petty reason and kissing Elenas sixth grade crush as a form of revenge.
"I know, I've grown." Harlow teased as she welcome Elena's hug "cant say the same for you." Harlow mumbled out as she was being strangled by her sisters arms. Elena let out a small laugh at her sister's comment. Elena knows that Harlow doesn't like silence and will mumbled whatever comes to her mind just to prevent it.
Elena saw how Harlow had gained back her charisma and she carries around the presence that she used to, in the mere seconds of seeing her again. Elena took in the girls features, her cheeks had filled out once more and her arms weren't just bone, Elena still held anger for her sister for ditching her but she had to admit she did looked happier.
Harlow looked over Elena's shoulder to see bonnie smiling at the girl or more the two. Harlow let go of Elena opening her arms up for the girl "bonnie."
bonnie smiled bring the girl into a tight hug "I've missed you." she whispered into the girl ear, so much had happened since Harlow had left town, and she didn't say goodbye to any of her friends. To bonnie Harlow didn't really leave it was more of a disappearance but none the less bonnie always had a soft spot for Harlow.
Harlow had always been somewhat reserved, she didn't really had one true friend she singularly depended on. she would spend most of her time by herself or in big groups she never really spent time with just one person, preferring groups.
once all the rekindling proceeded, Harlow looked to her sister optimistically with a weirdly large smile for being in a hospital "is he dead?" with her words, she received a hit on the shoulder for the comment by Elena "it's a fair question." she faked hurt, rubbing her arm.
Damon looked to the girl, he already knew who she was. both the Gilbert siblings had mentioned her before but never really got into depth about anything of her which made him even more curious. what were the perfect Gilberts hiding or more who?
"and who might you be." a deep voice asked. Harlows attention was now on the man that the two girls were talking too before. the first thing Harlow noticed when the man spoke was how he seemed to be very attached to Elena, always subtly moving to be next to her.
Harlow smiled at the man "Harlow Gilbert, you are?" she held out her hand for the man to shake. As Harlow inspected the man further she noticed how he looked too old to be hanging around teenagers. no-one ever really came to mystic falls, it was bit of a surprise to Harlow that this new man had already infiltrated the tight group of teenagers, that acted as if they were the only people in the town.
the man held mischievous smirk as he held Harlow's hand "Damon Salvatore," he gave her hand a kiss. Harlow looked to her twin sister who rolled her eyes at the mans actions, Harlow could sense jealously. it slightly surprised her in that Elena's last boyfriend was the golden boy it was almost stereotypical of her to now go for the 'bad boy'.
harlow took her hand back, as damon regained his posture looking to harlows sisters with a teasing smirk "Elena didn't tell me that you were this good looking,"
Harlow hummed, entertained by bonnie and Elenas harsh reactions to Damons words. harlow knew the type of man Damon was, she had already guessed it by his clothes. he had no real ego without making someone uncomfortable or flattered, he had be in power.
"Elena, didn't talk about you." Harlow smirked hearing bonnie chuckle from besides him. just as Damon was about to respond, someone drew the three's attention away
Jenna, harlow's aunt was standing in the middle of the hallway slightly away from the four. a shocked expression was written on the woman's features as her attention was solely on Harlow. "Harlow?" the woman spoke under her breath as she fasted her pace walking up to the girl, who wore an awkward pressed lip smile as she looked at her aunt.
for the third time today Harlow was brought into tight embrace. Harlow didn't mind hugs, hugs in moderation, one per family member on a relative death was good for her "its a reunion!" Harlow spoke her voice laced with sarcasm
once Jenna pulled out of the hug, she grabbed Harlow's face inspecting it turning it side to side "are you alright you weren't supposed to be home what happened." the mother figure fretted, bombarding Harlow with questions
harlow laughed nervously "down worry nothing happened to your favourite relative," Harlow toyed with her necklace as she contained to speak, it seemed eveyone was now hanging onto her every words all five of the people in the hallway staring at her "Elena gave me a call last night and told me what happened, to our poor old uncle John we all loved so much and would desperately miss if he died." she explained.
Elena frowned she felt as if she had forgotten all about Harlow, she now noticed how much she missed the girl "Harlow, uncle John is hurt, no matter how weird he is he's family and-"
Harlow cut the girl off on her lecture "did you already see his will." Elena looked at the girl more unimpressed that should cut her off, Harlow bit her toung trying to contain a small laugh "or are you going to admit you missed me and thats why you called me back." she teased
Elena sighed, not "Caroline, is in that room." she mumbled, while Harlow tutted playfully in disappointment as she walked past her sister to the hospital room.
when walking past Jenna the woman spoke quitly to harlow, incase of her sisters heard "you staying?" she asked slightly optimistic. Jenna would not admit she has favourites, becuse she loves all her nieces and nephews the same but she would admit that she had grown a closer bond to harlow then any of the others.
harlow shook her head looking down in guilt not to face her aunts deflated face "not long." she replied. part of harlow did wanted to stay, with her siblings and aunt but only for them. not the town, her house no-longer held significance to her and although she liked her friends back home, she had friends in Chicago as-well just not as close as she hadn't grown up with them but time is a wonderful thing.
Harlow slowly opened the door entering the room that Caroline was in, a cold chill ran up her spine. the room was exactly like the one her parents were in when their lives slowly withered away. the plain white paint that gave the room its sense of coldness was chipping away from the ceiling to the floor, you could smell the disinfectant that plagued the room and the single window held the only bit of optimism in the whole compartment.
thats when Harlow's eyes fell on the least optimistic sight the whole place Caroline's body laying down on the foam bed her chest moving slowly up and down was the only way that she knew she was alive.
It were obvious that Caroline wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. harlow didn't even know what happened, to have Caroline end up in the hospital she didn't look gravely injured so that was a good thing the girl reassure herself. her fingers skimmed along the Caroline hand as she inspected the girl for any physical injury before harlow decided to leave knowing that Caroline had enough support for her when she woke up.
Harlow made sure to make her time in the hospital as not wanting to spend any more time in the hospital then needed. she doesn't remember much about her parents death as she was knocked unconscious and when she woke up. It were almost like a dream and that she hadn't woke up, she was told that she was in a car crash and that her sister survived. only her and her sister.
while her mind was distracted with trying to recall past events. she felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket as she was leaving the hospital, she turned on her phone to see her roommate's name pop up
✧
✧
that was how Harlow and Klaus worked. Harlow was never really the real romantic, she never had a real boyfriend. she had been In 'things', she was never one of commitment. she didn't feel any use in having a 'boyfriend'.
Harlow didn't grow up in a unhappy or toxic family, but she just didn't see a point in labelling someone as temporarily yours. she saw the only reason that people get into 'relationships' of mutual liking was it was though to prevent unfaithfulness, which over time has been proved very much untrue.
that was why Klaus was such a good person for her. they would hook up and go back to their close friend dynamic both of them not liking to talk about feelings and both seeing it not needed to discuss such topics.
Harlow had made a quick getaway from the hospital now sitting in the parking lot of the hospital, preparing herself for the waves of nostalgia, when driving to town.
she drove through the town to the her childhood home, nothing had changed. all the houses were the same, streets didn't change and harlow swore the kids hadn't even moved from their spots where they hung out since she had been there last, Harlow doubted if the tress and grass were even real because for the whole Harlow was away absolutely nothing had changed.
Harlow took a deep breath before she entered the house, the door already open. once she entered she noticed once again nothing had changed, the same pictures, same pillows on the couches and same books stacked on the shelf. she knew she should probably relived that nothing had changed while she was gone, but looking around the quite house set off something unsettling in her.
before she could throw her duffle bag on the couch, she heard footsteps rushing down the stairs, jeramys must have already made it home but as the footsteps halted there was silence, making her pause in her tracks. maybe it wasn't jeramy.
"hello?" harlow yelled out, sceptically as she threw her bag to the floor.
a man with spikey brown hair dressed in a leather jacket poked his head out of the living room door frame looking at confused as harlow to his presence "hi," the man gave the harlow an awkward wave as he walked towards her "who are you?" he asked calmly
Harlow was now on full alert as a stranger was in her house then she heard another set of footsteps run down the stairs. Jeramy accompanied this mystery man standing calmly next to him. while harlows mind was rushing to conclusions on who this was and why jeramy was so calm with an intruder was in their house.
jeramy pointed to stefan then the harlow "Stefan meet Harlow" he introduced the two, who both were as shocked to see eachother "Harlow, Stefan."
harlow took a step further to the two "and how do you know him?" she was cut off before she could get an answer from stefan as the door slammed shut signalling someone else has entered the house and to her surprise it was Elena coming thought the door looking started at the group.
the three standing in the living room turned to see Elena walk in casually with a smirk written across her face making Harlow even more confused, she had never seen her sister hold herself with such confidence "Elena, how did you get here so fast?" Harlow exclaimed. at this moment she had suddenly so many questions on her mind.
confident Elena didnt respond as her eyes singled out on the necklace drooping around harlows neck, it was a simple gold chain with a Circular small golden dragon pendant. The woman frowned the pendent held familiarity to her, the logo but she just couldn't place where or who's emblem it was "where did you get that necklace?" confident Elena asked, her eyes transfixed on it,
"a friend." she answered bluntly before turning to Jeramy, wanting to change the subject in any sort of way. she really didn't want to explain further to her sister but as she turned to jeramy and Stefan the two boys were hold a hard expression towards Elena, like they were both mad at her.
"harlow, lets catch up in my room." Jeramy spoke as his eyes didn't leave Elena, who had crossed her arms leaning on her hip as she glared down Stefan, "come on Harlow." he rallied the girl, who took one last confused place at Elena and Stefan before following jerry upstairs.
once arriving in jeramy's deodorant aromatised room, Harlow started to pace while jeramy casually watched her sitting down his bed " who the hell what that," Harlow spoke, pointed to the door
Jeramy let out a short laugh at his sisters panic "that was Stefan, Elena's boyfriend." he explained, bored.
her eyes winded at Jeramy's statement "...I thought she was with the guy" she clicked her fingers as she tried to remember the ego ridden man from the hospital "um, Dante or whatever" she dismissed the mans name, Jeramy would know who's she talking about
jeramy nodded pressing his lips together, Harlow could gather that he wasn't popular around here "Damon is Stefan brother." he uttered, clarifying.
Harlow let out a scoff, surprised at his words "wow." she let out a small ironic chuckle. in Harlow books, Elena was known to be predictable going for the easy way out, in this example matt but from what Harlow could gather Elena was doing anything but. "how's Matt taking that?" she asked, while she tried to father that Elena was juggling men.
at Harlow words Jeramy's ran his fingers though his hair, a sign of distress "he has bigger problems." jeramy cut himself off, looking to the ground before he continued "Vicky." Jeremy looked down" she's ah... missing" he played it off, the guilt that enlaced him whenever he mentioned the girl.
harlow blew out her cheeks "it seems I've missed quite a bit." and here she though nothing had changed .
he rubbed his neck nervously "ah, yeah..." jeramy never liked lying to Harlow but one thing he was dedicated to do is not let Harlow get involved with all this mystic stuff. Harlow had never taken stress well, jeramy is still reeling from exam week when Harlow quite literally had her hair to start to fall out. jeramy didn't want to put any stress on his sister, knowing that could cause her to leave quick back to Chicago, again.
Harlow sighed "I thought coming here would be boring." she groaned as she fell on jeramys bed with a thud.
jeramy smiled down at his sister with content written on his face "you look better harls." he reassured, but still he had so many questioned for the girl "but where have you been?" he decided to ask, he knew harlow would probably shut him down but it is worth a try
"Chicago." she explained simply.
jeramy shook his head, scoffing "I know that." he fell down next to the girl on the bed hoping to soften her up bit with his brotherly charm "but what have you been doing?" he pressed
Harlow sat up on her elbows, she knew that if she didn't give jeramy information now and act all closed off it would only make him more curious, so she gave him the bare minima "well... I've got a roommate, he's an artist and I've been studying a-lot, I bargained with him to get a cat." she bragged, like it were a big achievement.
Technically for Harlow it was, it took a-lot of convincing kluas to let her get one. the man claimed that he was neither a dog or cat persons and that he didn't like animals and after much debate and Harlow adding that it would prevent him from burning the house down because she would be very upset if the cat died. kluas eventually gave in.
"your two close?" he asked. jeramy found it entertaining that she managed to convince her roommate to get a cat, she had been asking their parents for one for years but they had alway said no. the Gilberts had been dog people.
harlow shrugged "kinda." she uttered, bored. she then decided it was time to change the subject, not wanting to be pressed about Nik anymore.
harlow then sighed as she inspected his brother "I'm sorry, I didn't want any of this for you, I thought it was going to be normal here." she reffred to the Vicky situation, jeramy thought he was real slick but harlow knew there had to have been something with the two.
little to her knowledge ever since Harlow left mystic falls had been anything but normal and it was about to get even more complicated, Vickey was one of the less odder of things to happen in town.